How Hearts can secure Scottish Premiership top six this weekend - and the worrying alternative

On January 1, Hearts were in the 11th place, three points ahead of St Johnstone, after a Boxing Day defeat at home to Hibs was followed the loss of a two-goal lead in stoppage time at Ross County.

Head coach Steven Naismith had been sacked in September - when Hearts were in last place and still winless - and while incremental improvements had been made under his replacement Neil Critchley, the team's form was still causing concern with talk of a protest ahead of the match against Motherwell on January 2.

The spectre of relegation was hanging over Tynecastle Park although CEO Andrew McKinlay was not entertaining it. “I'm not even using that word,” he said after the Hearts AGM in December. “I'm confident we will finish in the top six."

Fast forward three months and McKinlay's confidence appears to have been justified with Hearts now sitting pretty in sixth place in the table with two matches left to play before the split.

League form since the turn of the year makes for much better reading. After collecting just 17 points from their opening 20 fixtures, Hearts have now taken 17 points from 11 matches in 2025 - a point less than their city rivals, who are 15 games unbeaten and in the hot seat in the race for third place. Hearts’ only three defeats in the calendar year have been to Celtic, Rangers and Hibs.

The January transfer window addressed squad deficiencies as the new partnership with Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analystics started to bear fruit, particularly with the recruitment of Elton Kabangu on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise, with the powerful and pacey Belgian forward scoring eight goals in 12 games.

Hearts’ primary focus has now switched from ensuring they stay up to clinching their top six place and securing the return of European football next season. The first objective can be ticked off this weekend if results go their way.

While Hearts need to take care of their own business at home to Dundee United in the 2.30pm kick-off on Sunday, it is outcome of matches the previous day that will determine whether they can secure top six with a game to spare.

Both St Mirren and Motherwell are on 38 points, one point behind the Jambos in seventh and eight positions respectively. Saints travel to Dundee on Saturday while Motherwell visit Kilmarnock.

If both lose, then Hearts will secure top six if they defeat United to move onto 42 points. A draw would not be enough and would take it to a deciding fixture against Motherwell at Fir Park the following weekend.

If either St Mirren or Motherwell win on Saturday, then Hearts will find themselves out of the top six before kick-off against United and, regardless of their own result, the battle for the top six will go to the final round of fixtures before the split.

Hearts' destiny would remain in their own hands providing they beat United, or even if they lose providing it is only Motherwell who climb above them this weekend. However, the worrying alternative is that St Mirren find themselves above Hearts in sixth place at the end of this weekend, meaning Critchley's men would be relying on Ross County doing them a favour in Paisley next weekend.

If the best St Mirren or Motherwell achieve this weekend is a draw, then Hearts will remain in sixth place on goal difference ahead of their match against United. They would only drop out of the top six were they to lose heavily to Jim Goodwin's side with their zero goal difference superior to St Mirren's -8 and Motherwell's -17.

A win over United in those circumstances would see them go into the final match before the split needing only to avoid a heavy defeat to Motherwell to secure top six.

When all is said and done, the ball is very much in Hearts’ court.